Music News

23 Dec 2024

Taylor Swift and Rosé Sleigh the ARIA Charts This Holiday Season

It’s the season of giving, and the ARIA Charts are delivering plenty of musical cheer. Taylor Swift and Rosé are unwrapping some major milestones just in time for the holidays.

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

Swift continues her record-breaking year at the top of the ARIA Albums Chart, while Rosé holds strong at No. 1 on the ARIA Singles Chart, with Christmas classics also shaking up the scene. Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department is unstoppable, spending its eighth consecutive week at No. 1 on the Albums Chart. It marks 18 weeks in 2024 that Taylor has ruled the ARIA charts across multiple albums, including 1989 (Taylor’s Version), Midnights, and Lover.

That’s right—she’s managed to outdo even herself, beating her 17-week streak from 2023.

Trending on Billboard

Adding to the excitement, Stray Kids storm in at No. 4 with their mixtape Hop. With Aussies Felix and Bang Chan leading the charge, the K-pop superstars prove they’re a force to be reckoned with, following the success of last year’s 5-Star.

Meanwhile, Michael Bublé’s Christmas makes its festive return, climbing back into the top 10 at No. 9, because let’s face it—Christmas isn’t complete without Bublé crooning in the background.

On the Singles Chart, Rosé and Bruno Mars’ smash hit “APT.” is showing no signs of slowing down, claiming its seventh non-consecutive week at No. 1. With just one more week, it could tie Sabrina Carpenter’s “Taste” as 2024’s longest-running No. 1 single. And speaking of holiday magic, Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You” rockets from No. 8 to No. 3. The Queen of Christmas does it again, with her timeless anthem on track for another festive chart takeover.

Holiday cheer continues to sprinkle across the charts. Wham!’s “Last Christmas” jingles its way up to No. 7, while Brenda Lee’s “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” cracks the top 10 at No. 10.

Not to be left out, Bobby Helms’ “Jingle Bell Rock” rises to No. 14, and Ariana Grande’s “Santa Tell Me” climbs to No. 18, proving that the season of giving is also the season of charting. Lola Young shakes things up with her breakout hit “Messy,” which leaps from No. 18 to No. 6, marking the U.K. singer’s first top 10 in Australia.

22 Dec 2024

Stray Kids Become First Act to Debut at No. 1 on Billboard 200 Albums Chart With First Six Chart Entries

As Stray Kids’ new album HOP debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart (dated Dec. 28), they become the first act to debut at No. 1 with their first six charting albums. The Billboard 200 began publishing on a regular, weekly basis in March of 1956.

Stray Kids previously debuted atop the chart with ODDINARY and MAXIDENT (both in 2022), ROCK-STAR and 5-STAR (both in 2023) and ATE (earlier in 2024).

Previously, Stray Kids were tied with the late rapper DMX, who saw his first chart entries debut at No. 1 between 1998-2003: It’s Dark and Hell Is Hot (1998), Flesh of My Flesh Blood of My Blood (1999), …And Then There Was X (2000), The Great Depression (2001) and Grand Champ (2003).

Trending on Billboard

The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week in the U.S. based on multi-metric consumption as measured in equivalent album units, compiled by Luminate. Units comprise album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). Each unit equals one album sale, or 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams generated by songs from an album. The new Dec. 28, 2024-dated chart will be posted in full on Billboard‘s website on Tuesday, Dec. 24. For all chart news, follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both X, formerly known as Twitter, and Instagram.

Since March 1956, more than 1,200 different albums have reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200. Until the chart began utilizing Luminate’s electronically monitored tracking information in May 1991, only six albums debuted at No. 1. After that, it became the norm that albums would debut atop the list. In 2024, for example, of the 24 albums that have spent time at No. 1, 22 of them debuted at No. 1.

22 Dec 2024

Stray Kids Score Sixth No. 1 on Billboard 200 With ‘HOP’

Stray Kids score their sixth No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart as HOP debuts atop the list dated Dec. 28. It’s the sixth leader for the group, making the pop ensemble the first act to debut at No. 1 with its first six chart entries in the nearly 69-year history of the chart. The Billboard 200 began publishing on a regular, weekly basis in March 1956.

Stray Kids previously opened atop the chart with ODDINARY and MAXIDENT (both in 2022), ROCK-STAR and 5-STAR (both in 2023) and ATE (earlier in 2024).

Further, with a sixth No. 1, Stray Kids tie BTS, Linkin Park and Dave Matthews Band for the most No. 1s among groups on the Billboard 200 in this century (since 2000).

Trending on Billboard

HOP arrives with 187,000 equivalent album units earned in the U.S. in the week ending Dec. 19, according to Luminate, largely driven by traditional album sales.

Also in the top 10 of the latest Billboard 200, Mariah Carey’s Merry Christmas jingles back to the top 10 for a seventh consecutive holiday season, as the 1994 release climbs 14-10. The set, which contains the Billboard Hot 100-topping “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” peaked at No. 3 in 1994.

The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week in the U.S. based on multi-metric consumption as measured in equivalent album units, compiled by Luminate. Units comprise album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). Each unit equals one album sale, or 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams generated by songs from an album. The new Dec. 28, 2024-dated chart will be posted in full on Billboard‘s website on Tuesday, Dec. 24. For all chart news, follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both X, formerly known as Twitter, and Instagram.

Of HOP’s 187,000 first-week equivalent album units, album sales comprise 176,000 (it debuts at No. 1 on the Top Album Sales chart), SEA units comprise 10,000 (equaling 14.83 million on-demand official streams of the sets songs) and TEA units comprise 1,000.

HOP’s album sales were bolstered by its availability across seven different CD variants, all containing collectible items such as photocards, posters, stickers and trading cards (including some randomized items), with variants exclusive to Barnes & Noble, Target, Walmart and the act’s official webstore. Of the album’s 176,000 album sales, CD sales comprise 171,000, while digital download albums comprise 5,000.

Previously, Stray Kids were tied with late rapper DMX as the only acts to see their first five chart entries debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. DMX did it in 1998-2003 with It’s Dark and Hell Is Hot (1998), Flesh of My Flesh Blood of My Blood (1999), …And Then There Was X (2000), The Great Depression (2001) and Grand Champ (2003).

As HOP is mostly in the Korean language, it is the 27th mostly non-English-language album to hit No. 1, and the fourth of 2024. Three other mostly-Korean-language sets topped the chart earlier this year, all by also debuting at No. 1: On the Nov. 30-dated list, ATEEZ landed its second leader with Golden Hour: Part.2; on the Aug. 3 chart, Stray Kids’ ATE arrived; and on the March 9 chart, TWICE notched its first leader in With YOU-th. Of the 27 mostly non-English-language albums to reach No. 1, 18 are mostly Korean, five mostly (or all) Spanish, one mostly Italian, one entirely French and two mostly a blend of Spanish, Italian and French. Of the 27 mostly non-English-language albums to reach No. 1, 23 have topped the chart since 2018 (the year that K-pop superstars BTS scored their first of six No. 1s, the chart’s first Korean-language leaders).

The rest of the Billboard 200’s top five comprises former No. 1s: Kendrick Lamar’s GNX is a non-mover at No. 2 (100,000 equivalent album units earned; down 20%), Taylor Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department falls 1-3 (85,000; down 65%), Sabrina Carpenter’s Short n’ Sweet steps 5-4 (69,000; down 9%) and Michael Bublé’s Christmas climbs 7-5 (68,000; up 10%).

The most recently released holiday album in the top 10 is Bing Crosby’s Ultimate Christmas compilation, which ascends two spots to a new peak at No. 6 (65,000 equivalent album units; up 15%). The Wicked film soundtrack falls 6-7 (nearly 65,000; down 13%), Billie Eilish’s Hit Me Hard and Soft rises 9-8 (62,000; up 11%) and Chappell Roan’s The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess climbs 11-9 (56,000; up 12%).

Closing out the top 10 is Mariah Carey’s Merry Christmas, rising 14-10 with 56,000 equivalent album units earned (up 22% with a 10,000 unit gain — the largest unit increase on the chart). The set returns to the top 10 for a seventh consecutive holiday season. It peaked at No. 3 during its initial chart run in 1994, shortly following its release that year.

Luminate, the independent data provider to the Billboard charts, completes a thorough review of all data submissions used in compiling the weekly chart rankings. Luminate reviews and authenticates data. In partnership with Billboard, data deemed suspicious or unverifiable is removed, using established criteria, before final chart calculations are made and published.

22 Dec 2024

Hozier Performs ‘Too Sweet’ & ‘Fairytale of New York’ Cover on ‘SNL’: Watch

SNL musical guest Hozier closed the season with his hit “Too Sweet” and a cover of The Pogues‘ “Fairytale of New York” on the Martin Short-hosted episode Saturday night (Dec. 21).

Introduced by Short, Hozier performed “Too Sweet,” his 2024 chart-topper that took off 10 years after his breakthrough single “Take Me to Church,” which he’d played during his SNL debut in 2014.

“Too Sweet” hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 earlier this year, as well as the Pop Airplay and Rock & Alternative Airplay charts. On the Billboard Hot 100 year-end chart, it comes in at No. 10.

Trending on Billboard

Later in the show, the Irish singer-songwriter, his accompanying vocalists and his band performed a spirited take on “Fairytale of New York” — the 1987 song recorded by The Pogues, where the band’s Shane MacGowan traded vocals with Kirsty MacColl for the duet that became a holiday season classic. (MacGowan sadly passed away last year of pneumonia, and MacColl passed in 2000 in a tragic boating accident.)

A small lyric change was made with a wink during Saturday night’s performance, with the ballad’s original slur being replaced with the lyric “You’re cheap and you’re haggard.”

The performance was well-placed in SNL’s holiday episode. Earlier this week in rehearsals, Hozier filmed some festive promos with Short and Keenan Thompson. Short comedically complained about the decor and the script, and in another run bonded with Hozier about holiday celebrations.

“Martin, don’t you just love Christmas?” Thompson asked in the clip. “Well, actually, I prefer to celebrate the ancient Roman holiday Saturnalia, so Christmas is just ‘Wednesday’ for me,” Short replied. “A fellow Saturnite?” Hozier quipped.

Enjoy Hozier’s SNL performances below.

21 Dec 2024

Los Temerarios Close Farewell Tour in Mexico After 47-Year Career: ‘We Have Reached the End!’

The romantic songs of Los Temerarios, those that captivated four generations in Mexico and the United States, were sung along by thousands Friday night (Dec. 20) at the GNP Seguros Stadium in Mexico City — in the first of the last two concerts of the band’s farewell tour, Hasta Siempre, with which they’ll close a story of almost half a century.

“We have reached the end, the end of these 47 years! We will always carry you in our hearts. Thank you for what you made us live during all this time. It has been wonderful!” said an emotional Gustavo Ángel to the 65,000 people who packed the venue, according to figures from promoter Ocesa.

It was a nostalgic and very special night for the group, led by brothers Adolfo and Gustavo Ángel, and their loyal fans, many of whom have been followers of their music from the old days, when they attended their concerts in popular venues in municipalities on the outskirts of the Mexican capital. Many others maintained their taste for the group’s music after having migrated to the U.S., and made their songbook part of their connection to Mexico.

Trending on Billboard

“We are going to sing those songs with which you fell in love, got married, had children and grandchildren,” the vocalist and guitarist told the audience after performing “Tu Infame Engaño,” one of their classics from the ’80s.

“Our beloved audience, 47 years of being here and you experiencing it with all your heart. There is nothing we can say to reciprocate your affection,” added keyboardist Adolfo Ángel, prompting a thunderous applause.

The audience, mostly made up of women between 30 and 60 years old, sang along at the top of their lungs to songs like “Vivo Enamorado de Ti,” which opened the show, followed by the aforementioned “Tu Infame Engaño,” “Una Tarde Fue,” “Como Te Tecuerdo,” “Como Quisiera Volver,” and “Ya Me Voy Para Siempre.”

The extensive repertoire also included songs like “Ven Porque Te Necesito,” “Acepta Mi Error,” “Porque Te Conocí,” “Una Lágrima No Basta,” “Eres Un Sueño,” “La Mujer Que Soñé,” “Me Partiste el Corazón” and “Te Quiero.”

The show lasted about three hours, during which Los Temerarios performed more than 30 songs — those that catapulted them as one of the most beloved and successful Hispanic bands of the past four decades, and with which they achieved feats like 41 entries on the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart and 47 entries on Top Latin Albums.

“The emotions are at their peak. If you see teary eyes around, it’s pure gratitude,” said Adolfo Ángel, who recalled that “Tu Última Canción” was inspired by an ex-girlfriend whose relationship ended in a phone call.

The Hasta Siempre Tour of Los Temerarios began in February 2023, and this year accounted for more than 30 shows in cities in Mexico, the U.S., and Central America, including Mexico City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Las Vegas, Monterrey, San José, Houston and Atlanta, among others.

In the Mexican capital, before their last performances at the GNP Seguros Stadium, the group packed eight nights at the Arena Ciudad de Mexico since last February, gathering about 160,000 people in total, according to promoter Zignia Live.

On Saturday (Dec. 21), Los Temerarios will repeat the feat for the last time at the GNP Seguros Stadium, lowering the curtain after 47 years.

Keyboard player Adolfo Ángel Alba and singer Gustavo Ángel Alba perform during a concert at Arena Monterrey on February 29, 2024 in Monterrey, Mexico.

Keyboardist Adolfo Ángel Alba and singer Gustavo Ángel Alba, from the group Los Temerarios, during a concert at the Arena Monterrey on Feb. 29, 2024, in Monterrey, Mexico.

Medios y Media/Getty Images

21 Dec 2024

Taylor Swift Arrives to Chiefs Game Rocking a Red Faux Fur Coat

Taylor Swift showed up to Saturday’s Chiefs-Texans game in a red, faux fur coat, looking how Penny Lane might’ve if she’d had a cozy Red era. The pop star was photographed on Dec. 21 arriving at Arrowhead Stadium, where boyfriend Travis Kelce’s team, the Kansas City Chiefs, were playing the Houston Texans.

A rich, red version of a Penny Lane coat — an outwear style related to the fictionalized Penny Lane from Cameron Crowe’s 2000 film Almost Famous — would be a statement piece anywhere it’s worn, yet it fits right in with the color code for Chiefs supporters, and for this week’s holiday festivities.

Swift accessorized the long jacket that’s lined with faux fur (a Charlotte Simone design) with a wintry black bucket hat, argyle-patterned tights (likely Sheertex), suede knee-high boots (identified as Manolo Blahnik) and a red purse (identified as Tod’s).

Trending on Billboard

Saturday’s Chiefs game is the first one Swift’ss been spotted at since the end of her historic Eras Tour, which wrapped on Dec. 8 — grossing over $2 billion and selling more than 10 million tickets. She was last photographed supporting the Kansas City, Mo., team with Kelce’s mom, Donna, on Black Friday (Nov. 29), the same day she released her Eras Tour Book and The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology on vinyl for the first time, through Target.

The Tortured Poets Department returned to No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart following the deluxe vinyl release, and remains there currently. Heading into the Christmas week, it reached its a 17th nonconsecutive week at No. 1.

See Swift’s full outfit at the Dec. 21 Chiefs game below.

Taylor Swift Kansas City Chiefs Dec 21 2024

Taylor Swift looks on prior to a game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Houston Texans at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on Dec. 21, 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri.

David Eulitt/Getty Images

21 Dec 2024

Billie Eilish’s 6 Best Moments From Hit Me So Hard and Soft Tour’s Penultimate U.S. Date at Kia Forum

On Friday night (Dec. 20), Billie Eilish played the penultimate show of her five-night run at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, Calif. — not to mention the second-to-last U.S. date of her global Hit Me Hard and Soft Tour, which is slated to pick up again in Brisbane, Australia on Feb. 18.

Though Eilish (who was preceded onstage by opening act Ashnikko) warned the Kia Forum night 4 audience about a recent struggle with laryngitis, there was no discernible trace of it in the superstar’s pristine vocals as she plowed through a slew of hits both old and new, from “Ocean Eyes” to “Bury a Friend” to “Birds of a Feather” and everything in between. And though Charli XCX wasn’t on hand for “Guess” — Eilish’s recent duet with the Brat powerhouse — as she was Tuesday night during a surprise cameo, Friday’s show did boast another very special appearance from Eilish’s most important collaborator.

True to her discography, Eilish was equally adept at bringing the firepower for performances of bangers like “Bad Guy,” “Oxytocin” and “Lunch” as she was at slowing things down for ballads including “When the Party’s Over,” “Wildflower” and the Grammy- and Oscar-winning “What Was I Made For?”, which marked a vocal high point for the 23-year-old icon (who celebrated her birthday on Wednesday, Dec. 18). Throughout, the megastar displayed her masterful gift for creating a sense of intimacy with a crowd of thousands, fostering a casual atmosphere despite playing to an arena packed with 17,000 screaming fans.

Find 6 major highlights from Friday night’s show, along with a full setlist, below.

21 Dec 2024

Barack Obama Reveals His Favorite Songs of 2024

Barack Obama delivered his annual list of favorite songs, as well as his favorite movies and books of 2024, on his social media accounts Friday night (Dec. 20).

“Here are my favorite songs from this year! Check them out if you’re looking to shake up your playlist – and let me know if there’s a song or artist I should make sure to listen to,” the former U.S. president captioned a post featuring a list of 25 song picks.

Kendrick Lamar’s “Squabble Up” is the first song named on Obama’s list, which has selections including Billie Eilish’s “Lunch,” Asaka & Travis Scott’s “Active,” Hozier’s “Too Sweet,” Leon Bridges’ “Peaceful Place,” Jack White’s “That’s How I’m Feeling” and Karol G’s “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido,” among many others.

Several tracks got a coveted spot on both Obama’s summer playlist (shared in August) and his favorite music of 2024 list.

Trending on Billboard

Yayo’s “Rema,” Tyla, Gunna & Skillibeng’s “Jump,” Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” Bonny Light Horseman’s “Old Dutch,” Beyoncé’s “Texas Hold ‘Em,” Artemas’ “I Like the Way You Kiss Me,” Tommy Richman’s “Million Dollar Baby,” and Myles Smith’s “Stargazing” are all found on Obama’s summer list and his year-end list.

Some of Obama’s favorite songs of 2024 ranked in the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 year-end chart: Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” (No. 2 on the Hot 100), Richman’s “Million Dollar Baby” (No. 8) and Hozier’s “Too Sweet” (No. 10).

Obama narrowed down his favorite movies of 2024 to a concise list of 10, which included All We Imagine as Light, Conclave, The Piano Lesson, The Promised Land, The Seed of the Sacred Fig, Dune: Part Two, Anora, Dìdi, Sugarcane and A Complete Unknown.

His book list also has just 10 picks (and a reminder to support independent book shops and libraries). Obama’s favorite books of 2024 were Jonathan Haidt’s The Anxious Generation, Sally Rooney’s Intermezzo, Alexei Navalny’s Patriot, Samantha Harvey’s Orbital, Aysegul Savas’ The Anthropologists, Arlie Russell Hochschild’s Stolen Pride, Martin MacInnes’ In Ascension, Daniel Susskind’s Growth, Dinaw Mengetsu’s Someone Like Us and Adam Moss’ The Work of Art.

See all of Obama’s favorite music, movies and books of 2024 below.

21 Dec 2024

Listen to London Philharmonic Orchestra’s Original Song From Oscar-Contending ‘About Mannequin’ Film

London Philharmonic Orchestra has teamed up with Foresee Films and Women in Film Los Angeles to spotlight worldwide gender discrimination in a powerful way through music.

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

LPO interpreted the original song that soundtracks the Oscar-contending best live-action short black and white film About Mannequin, shared exclusively via Billboard. The 40-minute project stars one of Kazakhstan’s most beloved actresses, Ayanat Ysmagambetova, and follows the story of a cursed wedding dress in a mysterious bridal shop and the woman who must break free from its spell.

The Aruszhan Dossymkozha-directed film was qualified for Oscar consideration in the short film category.

“The London Philharmonic Orchestra is delighted to contribute to this project that captures the magic of the silent era; where music and brilliant acting combine to tell extraordinary stories,” said David Burke, the LPO’s chief executive. “The film’s original song, recorded by our players, captures the essence of this timely narrative of a brave woman’s conquest over oppression.”

Ysmagambetova added, “Making About Mannequin has been the dream of a lifetime. I am proud to have made a film about a brave woman triumphing over oppression under the most challenging circumstances.”

Watch the visual clip featuring the London Philharmonic Orchestra’s interpretation of the About Mannequin original song above.

20 Dec 2024

Kendrick Lamar Mural in Compton Defaced Once Again

“Yesterday, somebody whacked out my mural/That energy’ll make you n—as move to Europe,” were the first bars we heard from Kendrick on the intro track from his latest album GNX right after mariachi singer Deyra Barrera set the table with her beautiful voice in an effort for Lamar to showcase the full range of Southern California’s street culture.

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

The mural the Compton rapper was referring to was painted on the side of Tam’s Burgers — the burger joint featured in his “Not Like Us” video — and was painted by artist Mike Norice. According to Norice on his Instagram, he recorded a video of the defaced mural and said it happened after a Dodgers game.

Trending on Billboard

However, he also could’ve been talking about another mural painted by artists Sloe Motion and Gustavo Zermeño Jr. earlier this summer on the back of a Honduran restaurant Mi Sabor on Rosecrans in Compton that’s now been defaced multiple times. Sloe Motion reposted a XXL IG post about the mural and commented on the post, writing, “I was one of the artist who painted the mural and the guy who blacked out the Kendrick face literally just made it worse.”

Back in November, they shared an IG Reel featuring security footage of a vandal defacing the mural and referred to the song “wacced out murals” along with a caption that read:

“A couple months ago our Kendrick mural got hit. Of course we were pissed and wanted to fix it but it just kept getting worse. Flash forward to today and Kendrick drops a song about the situation. It doesn’t necessarily make it ok but it does feel good to have our hard work for the community immortalized in a song by one of the greatest to ever do it. Thank you @kendricklamar for making this situation a little better today.” 

The aforementioned Barrera, spoke to Billboard about her involvement in Lamar’s surprise album and talked about being invited by Norice to be featured on an upcoming episode of his YouTube series Art & Soul centered around the mural

“The artist who made that painting spoke to me. His name is Mike Norice,” she told deputy editor of Billboard Español Sigal Ratner-Arias in quotes that didn’t make the interview. “I don’t know if you know a little bit about what happened when he did that painting, that it was scratched, vandalized, from Kendrick’s previous album, and because of that  Kendrick made the song ‘Wacced Out Murals,’ the first song of the album where I appear.”

Adding, “Then the artist invited me to be there. It was something very nice, because somehow we connected and we have that in common. There’s a documentary coming out of the artist who made that painting, so soon it’s going to come out. Very cool to be there, because we both, in some way, have that in common with Kendrick.”